Man expected to lead NRW has Wales knowledge questioned

Senedd members have questioned whether the man lined up to oversee Wales' environmental quango knows enough about the nation.

Most members of the climate change committee backed Nilesh Sachdev's appointment as chair of Natural Resources Wales (NRW).

But they had concerns "in a number of areas", including his "lack of knowledge and experience of working in Wales".

The Welsh government said it would "carefully consider" the report before making a final decision on his appointment.

Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies chose Mr Sachdev as his preferred candidate for the job, which pays £67,600 for at least 104 days work a year.

After questioning him about the role, the committee noted his "impressive CV" and "long-standing engagement with environmental issues".

In a report, the committee says his background in the public and private sector "suggests that he has the management and governance experience for a role of this stature".

But it also calls for a "rapid reassessment of his current commitments" to make sure he can devote enough time to NRW.

The former senior executive at Tesco and Sainsbury's already holds other positions, including as chair of East West Rail, which is building a new line between Oxford and Cambridge. He is to become the chair of the University of Warwick next month.

"The committee was also concerned by a lack of knowledge and experience of working within Wales and the social fabric of the country, its people and organisations," the report adds.

"This is a challenging role, and we believe Mr Sachdev must continue to familiarise himself with the ecosystem in which he will be working."

At the committee, Mr Sachdev said he had some "loose, but they're very, very good connections" to Wales through his family and work.

"In my career as a shopkeeper, I built most of the Tesco and Sainsbury's stores you will see around Wales, so I've got lots of connections in that way," he said.

He also said he had recently moved to Bristol "which is only an hour away", and that he wanted to "play a part in a community I dearly respect and have an affection for, in an area I deeply care about".

In a questionnaire, Mr Sachdev said: "I am confident I can dedicate the time and focus necessary to fulfil the responsibilities of chair of NRW."

Despite the concerns "a majority of the committee, felt that, on balance, the appointment should be endorsed".

The Welsh government welcomed the "thorough scrutiny" of the committee.

"Following the pre-appointment hearing, the deputy first minister will carefully consider the committee's report before making a final decision on the appointment," a spokesperson said.

NRW is responsible for managing forests, responding to floods and dealing with pollution.

Last month, the committee raised serious concerns about an NRW decision to respond to fewer "low category pollution incidents".

At the time NRW said it had gone through "a significant period of change and challenge for our organisation, as we live within the resources available to us".

Mr Sachdev was approached for comment.